Tuesday, June 11, 2013

My very first Pancit Canton


It was only last April 2013 when I was finally able to cook my very first pancit dish! Voila! My very first Pancit Canton!

Pancit Canton is actually my dad's favorite pancit.  During his birthday he would ask my mom to cook Pancit Canton.  He doesn't like the dry, stir-fried one, he prefers the  saucy pancit canton complete with all the other garnish like squidballs, kikiam, shrimps, snow peas, cabbage, carrots, etc.

I found this 20-peso 200gram pancit canton on the grocery and had the urge to try to cook it.  Luckily, I was successful in making my very first Pancit Canton.  Thanks to Google for the recipe. :-) 

According to my husband, it tasted like the usual Pancit Canton served on carinderias and eateries and also those served on birthday parties. So that means its not so bad after all and it passed his standards. Well, good for me.

Next on my pancit list, I'd like to try making Lomi.  Hmmm... Let's see.

Places to find Cheap Patio Furniture

There are quite a number of places where you can find cheap patio furniture than you can imagine.  All you need is a lot of patience, a dash of creativity, some hunting and haggling skills, some cash, a stylist buddy to help you decide and some really comfy shoes then you are good to go.

Cheap patio furniture sets are mostly available on end-of-season or off-season sales.  That is if you want brand new and can afford the latest trends.  If you’re simply looking for a good find there are a few suggestions that I can make on where you can scout for any furniture.



First on the list, try to look for a garage or yard sale.  You might be lucky enough to find a nice set of cheap outdoor patio furniture from one of your moving neighbor.  You can then try to get it at its cheapest cost, just wait for the perfect timing and make that offer.  Most outdoor furniture sold on yard sales are still in good condition.  You can always refurbish them anyway.  It won’t cost you that much to buy some spray paint and fabric.

Next, go flea market bargain-hunting.  I’d say visiting flea markets are fun.  I enjoy looking at special and one-of-a-kind pieces on flea markets.  If you are the creative, artistic type, you may find the perfect but cheap wicker patio furniture you’ve always dreamt of on a bargain.  Most flea markets are held every month or annually on the same location. 

I have an additional tip for furniture bargain hunters, either you come early or come late.  If you come early, you get the best pieces at its best prices.  On the other hand, if you come late to a garage or yard sale, you may be guaranteed the lowest prices, especially if it’s their last day.  You are sure to get the price that you ask for and they’ll surely give it to you.

Our next destination for buying cheap furniture is the antique shop.  Antique and thrift shops sell cheap, classic, old but collectible pieces you can consider for your patio or backyard. 

Also try visiting those places selling architectural salvage.  You’ll never know if you can find furniture pieces there that you can repurpose and remodel.  Sometimes these places also offer repairs, you just need to make arrangements with them on what you want done and how you want it.

You can also consider looking for good second hand furniture online.  There are sites like eBay that sell good seconds.  If you are the kind of person who likes staying at home or has no time to shop, shopping online whether for brand new or good seconds is the thing for you.  Online shops also offer free shipping depending on your arrangements.

Oftentimes shopping for cheap furniture at yard sales and thrift shops would still require you to make some repairs on the pieces that you’ve purchased. Slightly used furniture often has scratches that need to be repaired which makes your patio furniture cheap.  Doing a little handyman job won’t hurt and you are sure to save a lot of money by simply doing the repairs yourself.

Image from: 
https://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=De-H4wObvJo0DM&tbnid=esOhv3WK6fRGAM:&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mysimpleparadise.com%2F2010_04_01_archive.html&ei=Lc62UdrFL82IiQfF94GADQ&psig=AFQjCNG99sKDbS6FnZvwB4xvCgXq7J4DDQ&ust=1371021229963099

This article is written on June 6, 2013 by Melissa B. Valdespina